The complexities and contradictions of online eating disorder content: A qualitative evidence synthesis of young people’s views and experiences

Eating disorders (ED) continue to be a concern worldwide. There is a growing focus on problematic discourse around ideal bodies as well as on how exposure to related content and spaces online might influence disordered eating and other ED symptoms. A qualitative evidence synthesis using thematic synthesis methods was conducted to explore young people’s lived experiences of online ED content. Studies were included if they provided, from 2007 onwards, views about online content from young people from OECD countries aged 11–25 years old who identified as having had an eating disorder, disordered eating or eating difficulties. This article focuses on findings from 13 included studies whereby three key themes were identified: Comparing – how online content was used to evaluate others and oneself; Curating – how young people manage this content; and Community – spaces for connection over shared experience. Participants across the studies described the complex ‘double-edged’ nature of online spaces, which can offer inclusion but can also be experienced as harmful. The synthesis outlined a lack of supportive offline mental health-promoting spaces as part of the context of young people’s online content use.